The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan

Episode: John 5 | The Magnificent Others with Billy Corgan
Release Date: October 8, 2025

Main Theme

In this episode, Billy Corgan sits down with virtuoso guitarist John 5 to discuss his musical journey, obsession with collecting, surviving and thriving as a session musician, and his role in some of rock’s most iconic bands. The conversation ranges from their shared love of KISS and guitar heroes to the emotional toll of loss and trauma, with revealing stories about David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and joining Mötley Crüe.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Music, Greatness, and Collecting (00:00–05:30)

• John 5 emphasizes that, above all, it's always about the music:
  "It really is all about the music. And you can't. I really don't think you can deny greatness." (00:00)
• Billy notes John's uniqueness:
  "You are uniquely voiced for that circus. You've always struck me as some sort of, like, island in the middle of the ocean that doesn't need to sort of be thrown around like the rest of us." (00:09)
• John details his vast KISS memorabilia collection (over 5,000 items), the joy of cataloguing, and running private guided tours.
• Both share their collector’s mentality, with Billy discussing his love for postwar Japanese porcelain and the deep nerdiness among collectors.
• Insight into why collecting resonates: nostalgia, history, and personal fulfillment.

2. The Value of Musical Objects & Connection to the Past (05:27–09:43)

• John describes his most prized KISS possessions: Gene Simmons’ Destroyer boots (“barely hanging on... smell... mold... blood”) and the TV-era stage costume.
• Discussion of how band gear drifts into collectors' hands and stories behind unique items.
• Emotional weight of old friendships—John reveals the loss of two close collecting companions to cancer, and the impact it had on his relationship with collecting.

  "I was devastated. I was so devastated that I was. I couldn't even look at the stuff, you know..." (08:21)

3. KISS’s Musical Legacy and Public Perception (09:43–14:25)

• Both marvel at KISS’s enduring appeal to musicians and fans alike, noting recurrent themes of brilliance, showmanship, and criticism.
• Classic media moments recalled—Gene Simmons’ early controversial interviews (Mike Douglas, not Donahue) and their long-term effect on Kiss's image.
• The band’s ability to command awe despite media caricature and public skepticism.

4. Early Musical Influences & Guitar Heroes (14:25–20:14)

• John 5’s guitar path started after seeing musicians on 'Hee Haw'—specifically Jimmy Henley and Don Rich—with a telly-shaped void that never left him.
• Both reminisce about how limited TV exposure to music in the 1970s/80s made every moment precious.

  "Music was so scarce on television in America in the 70s... Like, we took it wherever we could get it." — Billy (16:18)

• John’s attachment to country players, Partridge Family, The Monkees, and how this era shaped his style.

5. Hardship, Therapy, and Instrumental Focus (20:14–22:44)

• John reveals multiple family losses; therapy led to the advice: immerse the mind in focused, productive activity.

  "He said, do something to occupy your brain. To really occupy your brain. And that's why I was started with the instrumental records." (21:20)

• His instrumental solo albums became a means of channeling grief and energy constructively.

6. Finding “Home” in Multiple Gigs (22:44–25:00)

• Billy likens John’s career movement to Jeff Beck—a wandering gunslinger—rather than a “proto shredder.”
• John discusses enjoying the best of both worlds: playing for big-name bands (Manson, Zombie, Mötley Crüe) and going all-out for instrumental records.

7. From Detroit to LA—Chasing the Dream (25:00–29:02)

• John describes his privileged but sheltered upbringing in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, opportunity knocking from Warner Bros. as a teenager, and his highway west.
• Insane stories from his arrival in LA: robbed first night, early gigs, sleeping on floors, surviving in stark contrast to his roots.

8. LA Scene and Breakthroughs (29:02–34:12)

• Tales from the trenches—playing in Sun King with Rudy Sarzo; memories of Gazzari’s, Hollywood Billiards, and getting “discovered.”
• Sarzo emerges as a guardian angel, connecting John with network, gigs, and his first session experiences.
• Bob Marlette’s influence, and how half-priced, speedy session work built John’s reputation.

9. Session Musicianship, and the Joy of “Giggerdom” (34:12–41:49)

• John’s session work spans everything from TV shows (Baywatch, Flipper) to Salt N Pepa.
• He underlines his original dream: to become a behind-the-scenes “session guy” rather than a name frontman—sparked by watching a ’70s TV show, “Session Man.”
• Billy and John bond over the value of musical support roles and the odd journey of career musicians.

10. Trauma, Loss, and Physical Manifestations (44:10–47:10)

• John speaks candidly about how family tragedies led to severe stress-caused medical issues (non-bacterial prostatitis), and he hides physical suffering behind routine and practice.

  "Pelvic floor squeezes your prostate so hard... and it's just from stress. You can't piss, you can't sit, you can't do anything. And this is a stress related medical condition." (45:12–45:40)

11. The Process, Repetition & Safe Places (47:10–48:01)

• The ritualization of playing—regardless of band or setlist—is John’s method for grounding himself, “keeping my mind intact.”

12. Almost David Lee Roth’s Guitarist—Missing the Stage for Manson (48:01–58:59)

• The intricate, operator style of John’s partnership with Diamond Dave:
  • Sending songs through Bob Marlette
  • Recording “DLR Band” album in two takes per song as per Roth’s demand
  • Nearly touring with Roth, but switching to Marilyn Manson at the last moment on Gene Simmons’ advice:

    "I remember calling Gene ... should I join Manson or stay with Roth? And he goes, join Manson." (58:00)

  • Roth’s supportiveness and later friendship.

13. Manson Years: Alienation, Camaraderie, and Ouster (63:26–71:19)

• John's initial experience: only Manson, Ginger were kind; other bandmates were mean even before he joined.

  "I'm not gonna say hi to you. You're only gonna be in the band for six months." — Pogo, as recalled by John (65:50)

• Friction over creativity, technical savviness (proving he hadn’t made mistakes by playing back tapes) leading to tension and eventual sacking.
• Manson eventually apologizing for the way it ended—something that stuck with John.

14. Being an “Island in the Ocean”: Confidence, Not Arrogance (43:27–44:50)

• Billy:

  "...you've always struck me as some sort of like island in the middle of the ocean that doesn't need to sort of be thrown around like the rest of us, you know, and it's. I think it comes across in the way you play. Even there's a confidence, but it's not an arrogance confidence." (43:27)

• John credits upbringing and therapy as sources of stability:

  "I'm not trying to prove to anybody I'm doing this and learning, still learning every day, like just to just keep my mind in. In intact, you know..." (44:09)

15. Rob Zombie, Mötley Crüe, and Living the Dream (43:43–84:15)

• 17 years with Zombie—daily ritual and pride in musicianship.
• Mötley Crüe gig: John’s long-time friendship with Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee led to a seamless transition.

  "I was so close with Nikki... and I, you know, knew Mick really well... it's just like playing with your, your buddies you know..." (79:58)

• No auditions; John was simply given the gig because he was trusted, loved, and knew every note.

  "When they gave me the set list and they were like, all right, learn these. I'm like, I know all these... I could go play a show." (81:15)

• His philosophy: play every classic lick/note as it was on the record; never “mess” with the arrangements.

16. Guitar Preferences—The Telecaster and Its Meaning (84:21–86:49)

• Despite genre or context, John plays a Telecaster—thanks to childhood inspiration from Don Rich:

  "It's like, you know when you're coming into your own and you're like a certain kind of woman? You like either like boobs or a butt or something like that. And that's how I was with the telly." (84:42)

• Discussion with Billy about instrument “soul mates” and the magic of signature guitars in iconic songs.

17. Solo Music, Instrumentals, and Next Challenges (88:05–89:00)

• John insists on keeping solo music instrumental as a creative outlet apart from his “singers” in major bands.
• Teasing an ambitious upcoming project: 50 shows in 50 states in 50 days.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On collecting KISS memorabilia:

  "There's 2,500 items, but if we're counting records and cassettes and eight tracks and reel to reels, then we're well over 5,000." — John 5 (01:24)

• On the therapeutic power of playing:

  "If not, I'd probably, you know, be throwing feces at traffic or something, you know, so." — John 5 (21:37)

• On trauma’s impact:

  "I got this thing called prostatitis... It's when your pelvic floor squeezes your prostate so hard... and it's just from stress." — John 5 (45:11–45:31)

• On being a session musician:

  "I never dreamt like that. I never thought. Never... I had one of being a session musician, really making records." — John 5 (40:08)

• On joining Mötley Crüe:

  "It's just like playing with your, your buddies, you know, it's. It's very, it's very strange how it all came." — John 5 (80:58) "I don't change a note... I will play exactly how it's recorded, not how it was played live." (81:37)

• On the original Van Halen:

  "When those four guys are together, it was so magical. Eddie was such a brilliant, brilliant genius." — John 5 (61:18)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• KISS collection madness: 00:44–05:50
• Coping with tragedy, therapy, starting instrumentals: 20:14–22:44
• First years in LA, survival stories: 25:00–29:02
• Breakthrough with Rudy Sarzo & session career: 29:24–35:34
• David Lee Roth stories: 48:01–58:59
• Manson—joining, band drama, and eventual apology: 63:35–71:19
• Mötley Crüe—friendship, transition, philosophy: 77:42–84:19
• Telecaster talk: 84:21–86:49
• Solo project announcement: 88:05–89:00

Tone and Language

The tone throughout is informal, warm, unfiltered, humorous, and heartfelt. Both Billy and John share candidly, gravitating naturally between deep musical geekery and personal emotion, with an affectionate, mutual respect and a love of the craft—and especially the underlying camaraderie among musicians.

Concluding Note

This episode offers an intimate portrait of John 5—not just shredding guitar hero, but a thoughtful collector, a survivor of pain, and a musician who sees purpose and magic in music’s rituals, wherever he lands. For anyone interested in the spirit behind the showbiz myth, it’s an honest, revealing journey through the gears and guts of a real musical life.